Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna
The savoury pie of Reggio Emilia: a thin, olive oil and lard short pastry encases a filling of blanched beet greens (or spinach), lightly sautéed with garlic and lard, bound with egg and a very generous amount of Parmigiano Reggiano. Baked flat (like a tart, not raised) until the pastry is golden. The erbazzone can be made with or without a top crust; the version without (a single-crust 'open face') reveals the dark green filling. It is the Reggiano working-class lunch, found at every chiosco (kiosk) in the province.
Dark green, Parmigiano-rich, lard-enriched greens in a golden short pastry crust — the Reggiano worker's pie, deceptively simple, deeply satisfying
{"Beet greens coarsely chopped after blanching and thorough squeezing — excess moisture is the enemy","Lard rendering in the pan before adding garlic and greens — the lard fat is inseparable from the flavour","Parmigiano at 30% of filling weight — the proportion seems excessive; it is correct","Pastry rolled to 2mm, pressed into an oiled pan, filled, topped with pastry (or left open), sealed","Bake at 190°C until deeply golden — the Parmigiano inside should have caramelised slightly"}
{"A handful of spring onion (cipollotti) wilted with the greens adds sweetness","Erbazzone is excellent at room temperature — eat within 4 hours of baking for best texture","The criscente (leavened version with sourdough pastry) is the more ancient form found in the hill towns"}
{"Insufficient squeezing of greens — the bottom crust becomes soggy","Skimping on Parmigiano — the dish becomes a simple greens tart rather than the Reggiano classic","Vegetable oil instead of lard — the flavour changes fundamentally"}
La Cucina Reggiana — Sonia Grasso